Eight Feared Drowned in Cross River Boat Collision

Eight passengers were feared drowned after two speedboats collided in the Ikang axis of Bakassi Local Government Area of Cross River State.

The Cross River State Police Command said the incident occurred on September 6, 2026, at about 12:14pm while one of the boats was travelling from Ikang towards the Republic of Cameroon through Cameroonian territorial waters around the Tikoro area.

According to the police, the affected vessel was a W23 speedboat carrying 13 Nigerian passengers. It collided with another W23 speedboat fitted with a double Yamaha engine.

Following the collision, eight passengers were feared drowned, while five others were rescued alive with the assistance of local fishermen in Cameroon.

The bodies of those feared drowned were subsequently brought to Simon Beach in Ikang, Bakassi Local Government Area.

The police said its Marine Police unit in Ikang had been directed to ensure that the recovered bodies were properly identified by their respective families before being deposited at the morgue.

The command said it was working with relevant authorities and affected families to establish the full circumstances surrounding the collision.

It added that further information would be released as soon as verified details became available.

The incident has raised fresh concerns over safety on waterways linking communities in the Bakassi area with neighbouring Cameroon, particularly along routes used by passenger boats.